Zorodictyna silvadavilae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 3890C5AE-5D35-464E-924E-DFF174ABC154

Figs 24–26

Zorodictyna sp. CG47 – Wheeler et al. 2017.

Diagnosis

Males of Zorodictyna silvadavilae sp. nov. are distinguished from those of Z. oswaldi (Lenz, 1891) by the retrobasal cymbial extension (CE) that extends at least ¼ the length of papal tibia and thick retrolateral paracymbial process (PP) (vs Z. oswaldi lacks the PP and has very short CE; Griswold 1993: figs 19–21); males are distinguished from Z. almae sp. nov. by having only a small or no crest on embolus, and the retrolateral branch of RTA simple (Fig. 25A–C) (vs Z. almae has a large crest on the E and the retrolateral branch of RTA is forked apically, Fig. 23A–C). Females of Z. silvadavilae are distinguished from Z. oswaldi by lacking teeth on lateral lobes (LL) (Fig. 25D) (vs Z. oswaldi have teeth on LL; Griswold 1993: fig. 24). The females are distinguished from Z. almae by having an endogyne with copulatory ducts (CD) equal to spermathecae (S) (Fig. 25E) (vs in Z. almae, the CD are much larger than S, Fig. 23E).

Etymology

The species name is a matronym in honor of Dr Diana Silva Dávila, who made an extensive expedition to Madagascar in 2003, collecting specimens and tissues for the Spiders–AToL (Assembling the Tree of Life) project.

Type material

Holotype

MADAGASCAR – Antsiranana Province • ♂; Marojejy Reserve, 8.4 km NNW of Manantenina; 14°26′ S, 49°45′ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 10–16 Nov. 1993; C. Griswold, J. Coddington, N. Scharff, S. Larcher, R. Andriamasimanana leg.; general collecting; CEG008; [habitus and male palp illustrated]; CASENT_9006231; CAS.

Paratypes

MADAGASCAR – Antsiranana Province • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; CASENT_9006231; CAS • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; CASENT_9082258; USNM • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; S. Larcher leg.; [endogyne drawn]; CASENT_9006230; USNM . – Toamasina Province • 1 ♂; Parc National Masoala, Ambohitsitondroina Mt., Ambanizana; 15°34′20″ S, 50°00′25″ E; 900–1010 m a.s.l.; 5 Mar. 2003; Diana Silva Dávila leg.; raking tree trunks; montane rainforest; DNA vouchers ARACG000047; DSD0024; CASENT_9014998; CAS • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; CASENT_9015400; CAS • 2 ♀♀; Parc National de Marojejy, NW; 810 m a.s.l.; Feb. 2002; S. Goodman leg.; pitfall; [habitus illustrated]; FMNH-INS 0000-056-622; FMNH • 1 ♀; Mt. Ambanizana; 15°34′29.9″ S, 050°00′12.3″ E; 750–800 m a.s.l.; 1 Mar. 2003; D. Andriamalala, D. Silva Dávila et al. leg.; rainforest; DSD0017; CASENT_9015400; CAS .

Other material examined

MADAGASCAR • 1 ♂; R.N.I. Marojejy, 11 km NW of Manantenina, Antranohofa; 1225 m a.s.l.; 14°26.2′ S, 49°44.5′ E; 24 Oct.–2 Nov. 1996; S. Goodman leg.; undisturbed mossy forest; pitfalls at camp #3; Mad1996#7; FMNH .

Description

Male holotype (CASENT_9006231; CAS; except as otherwise indicated)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 17.60. Carapace: length 10.50, width 8.30, height 4.50.

COLORATION (Fig. 24A–B). Dorsal and lateral of cephalothorax, abdomen and legs unicolorous grey-brown, venter of sternum, mouthparts, coxae and trochanters yellow white.

STERNUM (Fig. 24B). Oval with slightly sinuous margins; 3.70 wide, 4.50 long.

CHILUM. 0.18 high, 0.63 wide.

EYES. ALE 0.28; AME 0.23; PLE 0.28; PME 0.25; ALE–AME 0.30; AME–AME 0.40; PLE–PME 0.35; PME–PME 0.15; MOQ: AW 0.58, PW 0.73, L 0.65.

CLYPEUS. With ten long setae.

LEGS. Trochanters I–III shallowly notched, IV entire. Unpaired claws smooth, rudimentary on legs III and IV. Scopulae beneath all tarsi, apical half of metatarsus I and apical third of metatarsus II.

Leg measurements (paratype CASENT_9014998; CAS)

Spination (paratype CASENT_9014998; CAS)

MALE PALP (Fig. 25A–C). Tibia with apical, short pronged VTA connected to conical RTA, behind which dorso-retrolateral excavation accommodates retrobasal cymbial extension; cymbium oval with narrowly-rounded apical extremity, without dorsal patch of chemosensitive setae, having stout retrolateral paracymbial process (PP) and retrobasal cymbial extension (CE) extending at least ¼ length of papal tibia; subtegulum large, filling most of cymbial concavity and extending to prolateral cymbial margin, and with probasal broad ridge (SL) that interlocks with tegulum; tegulum rounded with conical process (TL) on prolateral margin, this process interlocking with subtegular ridge; embolus (E) broad and thick, arising proapically, with pointed apex, small crest subapically and curved basomediam process (EBP) arising from embolus base; median apophysis (MA) strongly sclerotized, short, hooked, curved prolaterad; conductor (C) hyaline fan-shaped, narrow at base; paraconductor (Pc) small, cradling inner margin of E.

Female paratype (CASENT_9015400; CAS; except as otherwise indicated) MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 23.00. Carapace: length 11.20, width 8.30, height 5.00.

COLOUR (Fig. 24C–D). As in male: dorsal and lateral of cephalothorax, abdomen and legs unicolorous grey-brown, venter of sternum, mouthparts, coxae and trochanters yellow white.

STERNUM (Fig. 24D). Oval with sides straight next to leg coxae; 4.10 wide, 4.90 long.

CHILUM. 0.25 high, 0.75 wide.

EYES. ALE 0.30; AME 0.29; PLE 0.31; PME 0.28; ALE–AME 0.18; AME–AME 0.50; PLE–PME 0.48; PME–PME 0.23; MOQ: AW 0.73, PW 0.83, L 0.23.

CLYPEUS. With 14 long setae.

LEG. Scopulae beneath all tarsi, apical half of metatarsus I and apical third of metatarsus II.

Leg measurements

Spination

GENITALIA. Epigyne (paratype CASENT_9006230; USNM), (Fig. 25D) with quadrangular median lobe (ML) plate transverse with smooth margin; copulatory openings (CO) hidden beneath anterolateral corners of ML; lateral lobes (LL) convex, without lateral teeth or projections but with faint concavities along margin of ML, converging posteriorly and exposing triangular area of median sector (MS). Endogyne (Fig. 25E) with broad, semitransparent copulatory ducts (CD) extending from beneath ML to simple, convex, bean-shaped spermathecae (S), spermathecal head with several small pores; spermathecal bases meeting in center; fertilization ducts (FD) short and slightly curved.

Variation

Males (n = 4)

Total length = 17.60–24.00, carapace length/width = 1.12–1.28, carapace height/width = 0.44–0.54, PER/carapace width = 0.20–0.22, PER/OAL = 2.50–2.80, PER/AER = 1.35–1.56, OAL/OQL = 1.00– 1.13, OQP/OQA = 1.22–1.46, sternum length/width = 1.22–1.33, palpal coxa length/width = 1.92–2.90, femur I length/carapace width = 1.04–1.23, metatarsus I length/carapace width = 0.98–1.16, femur IV length/carapace width = 1.10–1.31. Male palp with apical RTA tips acute (Marojejy) to blunt (Masoala), EBP hook at embolic base triangular (Marojejy) to crescentic (Masoala), retromedian tegular lock (TL) blunt (Marojejy) to sharply triangular (Masoala). Males from Marojejy have a small subterminal crest on the embolus, which is absent from the male from Masoala.

Females (n = 4)

Total length = 23.00–32.50, carapace length/width = 1.26–1.41, carapace height/width = 0.46–0.60, PER/carapace width = 0.23–0.26, PER/OAL = 2.87–3.41, PER/AER = 1.30–1.43, OAL/OQL = 1.03– 1.06, OQP/OQA = 1.14–1.23, sternum length/width = 1.18–1.24, palpal coxa length/width = 2.32–3.45, femur I length/carapace width = 0.92–1.00, metatarsus I length/carapace width = 0.66–0.75, femur IV length/carapace width = 1.02–1.07. Epigyne with median lobe length 0.70–0.78 times width; distance from median lobe base to epigastric fold 0.29–0.40 times median lobe length.

Note on synonym

A specimen of this species (CASENT_9014998) was used as an exemplar in a previously published molecular phylogeny: it was listed as “ Zorodictyna sp. CG47” by Wheeler et al. (2017).

Natural history

This species has been collected when running on leaf litter in closed canopy montane rainforest. Individuals have an entire cribellum but we have yet to learn details of their use of silk.

Distribution

Individuals of this species are known only from the montane rainforests on the Marojejy Massif and the Masoala Peninsula in northeastern Madagascar (Fig. 26).